Carton-sealing machine



No. 751,822. PATENTED FEB. 9, 1904. J. H. WEEK S.

CARTON SEALING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 18, 1903 NO MODEL. 4 SHEETSSHEET 1.

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PATENTED FEB. 9, 1904.

J. H. WEEKS. CARTON SEALING MACHINE APPLICATION FILED MAY 18, 1903. NOMQPEL. 4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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No. 751,822. PATENTED FEB. 9, 1904. J. H. WEEKS.

CARTON SEALING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED MAY 18, 1903.

N0 MODEL.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

[TVESSES I lNVE/VTOR am $4 WM n L?" W I 4 Allamey f q No. 761,822.PATENTED FEB. 9, 1904.

J. H. WEEKS.

CARTON SEALING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 18v 1903.

4 SHEETS-SHEBT 4 NO MODEL.

IN V E N TO]? UNITED STATES Patented February 9, 1904.

JOSEPH H. TVEEKS, OF BATTLECREEK, MICHIGAN.

CARTON-SEALING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 751,822, dated February9, 1904.

Application filed May 18, 1903 Serial No. 157,636. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J OSEPH H. WEEKS, of Battleoreek, in the county ofCalhoun and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Carton-Sealing Machines; and I hereby declare that thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, referencebeing bad to the accompanying drawings, which form part of thisspecification.

This invention is an improved machine for sealing cartons, especiallydesigned for sealing the four end flaps of cartons after the same havebeen filled; and the object of the invention is to provide eificientrapidly-acting flap pasting and folding mechanism, whereby the flaps arefolded in proper sequence and the paste applied thereto in such mannerthat the cartons will be securely sealed on both end and side edges ofthe top. The pasting and folding mechanisms are equally well adapted tooperate upon suitably-supported empty cartons to fold and close the endthereof, if desired, and therefore either use of the invention isintended to be embraced herein; but I have shown the mechanisms as usedfor closing filled cartons, and the following explanation thereof willimpart a clear understanding of the invention and the material featuresand combinations therein for which protection is desired.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a completemachine embodying my invention for folding and sealing cartons. Fig. 2is a front end view thereof, partly broken. Fig. 3 is a top plan view.Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section through Fig. 1, showing the parts inpositions assumed during folding. Fig. 5 is a section through Fig. 2,showing parts in positions assumed during folding. Figs. 6, 7, and 8 aredetail views.

A represents a movable carton holder and pusher, composed of a frontplate a. and opposite side plates a, attached to the sides of plate aand projecting rearwardly therefrom, plates a a being of a size designedand adapted to receive and surround three sides of a carton to besealed. The holder is mounted upon a reciprocating slide A, supportedand guided in the base-plate of the machine, said slide being operatedby a rod A which is actuated at the proper times and in proper manner bya cam A on a shaft A, so as to shift the holder as required during theoperation of the machine. The cam A is so shaped that the holder ismoved inward by two successive steps and moved outward by one long step.The third or front flap folder is attached to the holder and constructedand 0perated as hereinafter explained.

The machine is designed to operate on cartons having four end flaps, andafter such a carton is dropped into the holder with its upper flaps openthe holder is first moved inward, so as to bring the carton in positionfor pasting and folding its top flaps, the pasting of the third andfourth (front and rear) flaps being efiected by the following devices,which also serve to fold the first flap: Arranged at opposite sides ofthe path of the holder (in such position that the latter will stoptherebetween after it has made its first step forward) are uprights Band C, upon which are supported transversely-disposed horizontalguidebars D D, upon which rest and move a transversely-reciprocatingslide E, which is confined on the guide-bars by plates (Z d, as shown.Depending from said slide are two adjacent studs 6 e, on which arejournaled intermeshing pinions E E pinion E meshing with a rack D on theinner face of guide D, as shown, so that as the slide E reciprocates thepinions E E will be caused to rotate. Secured to the under side ofpinions E E are pasting-disks F F, which are adapted to apply paste tothe inner upper edges of the front and rear flaps of the carton beforethey are folded, and depending from the said disks are peripherallydisposed arms or wing-pastors ff, which are adapted to apply paste tothe side edges of said front and rear flaps, as hereinafter explained.The disk F may be cut away, as at F so it will not apply paste at thecentral part of the front flap where the latter overlaps the meetingedges of the folded side flaps. The pasters receive paste from disksGrG, fixed on a shaft g, journaled in brackets 9, attached to uprights BB, which dip into a paste-receptacle G supported by brackets g, asshown. The shaft g and disks G G may be rotated by means of a pulley gon one end, driven by a belt g from a pulley 16 on a shaft 1,hereinafter referred to. The slide E is reciprocated so as to bring thepasters between the disks G G, against which they move and take pastetherefrom, and then are moved back by the slide so as to apply paste tothe flaps, as hereinafter explained.

The slide E may be reciprocated (at the proper times) by any suitablemeans. I have shown an arm E" on the slide connected by a link H to theupper end of a vibrating arm H attached to arock-shaft H having a shortarm H connected by a linkH to a wrist-pin on a crank H on a sleeve H,supported upon a shaft 1, driven by suitable gearing from shaft A Thesleeve H is loose on the shaft 1, but is adapted to be driven therefromat the proper time by means of a friction-clutch or drive I, one memberof which is fast to the sleeve and the other to the shaft. The sleeve His locked against rotation except at the proper time by means of thelever 1 pivoted on a support I and adapted to engage a stop-lug h on thesleeve H and hold it against rotation until the lever is momentarilydisengaged therefrom at the proper time by a pivoted trip 2', attachedto the side piece a of the holder A and adapted when the holder is movedin between the uprights B C to engage the inner end of lever I and forceits outer end to disengage stop h, wherefore the friction-clutch drivessleeve H around with the shaft until lug IL again strikes lever 1 and isarrested thereby, the construction being such (as is well known) thatafter sleeve H makes one revolution it is stopped and remains stoppeduntil the holder A is again returned to the same position. On theoutward movement of the holder trip 71 rides idly over lever 1 which isreturned to normal position by spring I. The side a may be grooved, asat (0 to prevent it interfering with lever 1 The wing-pastersff fold thefirst side flap, and the opposite side flap is folded by the followingmeans: Mounted in a guide-bracket C, attached to the upright C, is afolder-blade J, which moves horizontally and is connected by a pitman Jto the upper end of an oscillating lever J pivoted at J 3 on therearmost bracket g, and its lower end is engaged with a cam J on sleeveH, so formed and adjusted that folder J will be moved inward and foldthe right-hand side flap of the carton with,

before, or after the left-hand side flap is fold- If the side flapsoverlap when folded, it would be desirable to have blade J operate firstand hold the side flap down until the pasters have made their traverseacross the top of the carton. A spring J 5 holds lever J 2 in contactwith its cam and effects the retraction of folder J at the proper time.The front flap is folded next by the following devices: A folder-blade Kis mounted in a bracket K, attached to the front board a of the holderA. A spring K is placed in the bracket and bears against a depending lugon the blade K, so as to normally hold the same retracted. Above theblade K is a short rock-shaft 70, journaled in boxes fast to board a andhaving on its upper and lower ends segments 7c is". The lower segment isconnected by a strap with the folder-blade K, and the upper segment k issimilarly connected by a strap k to the end of a sliding bar L, guidedin suitable keepers attached to board a and movable transversely. of theholder. A spring L is arranged to retract the bar, this spring beingsupplementary to spring K both not being essential. The bar L is movedat the proper time by a finger E on slide E, which finger projects overand down at one side of the slide and has a trip E on its lower endwhich rides over a lug L on bar L as slide E moves inward; but when theslide E moves outward (withdrawing the pasters) trip E engages lug L anddraws bar L back and through the described connections moves folder Kinward, folding down the front (third) flap. Y

The bar L and finger E do not come into operative relation until afterthe holder has made its first step inward, and before the slide Efinishes its return stroke-the holder A begins its second step inward,withdrawing lug I from finger E, which can then move on outward withouthindrance and will remain out of the way during the outward stroke ofthe holder.

Just in rear of the rearmost uprights B C is a trough M wide enough toreceive the cartons, and over this trough is a presser-belt N, guided onpulleys N, suitably journaled above and at the opposite ends of thetrough. At the receiving end of the trough between the rear uprights B Cis a transverse bar wt, preferably beveled or rounded on its inner loweredge, by which the last flap is folded, this folding taking place as andduring the ejection of the carton from beneath the slide E, and thisejection is performed by the holder A, which after the side and frontflaps are folded down is moved farther inward by its cam, so as to carrythe carton back into the trough, and in this movement the rear (fourth)flap is folded down by its passage under bar m. As is obvious, the beltN assists in holding the flaps down when the holder A is retracted.

Operation: The operation may be recapitulated briefly, as follows:Starting with the parts in the positions shown in Fig. 1, afilled cartonwith its top flaps open is dropped in the holder. The latter then movesforward, pushing the carton into position between the uprights B C andstopping in the position shown in Fig. 3. Meanwhile the pasters havereceived paste from the disks G G, and as soon as the holder stops slideE moves inward, carrying the pasters. The disk pasters F F apply pastealong the top inner edges of the front and rear flaps and thewing-pasters ff have an encycloidal movement, such that they first applypaste to the near inner side edges of the front and rear flaps and thenapply paste to the far inner side edges of the same flaps. Thewingpasters ff furthermore serve as folders to fold down the near sideflap and also as openers to open up the front and rear flaps if they arenot already sufiiciently opened. Preferably the parts are so timed thatbefore slide E has reached the middle of its outward stroke folder J ismoved inward, turning down the far side flap, making the second fold.Then as slide E is retracted linger E engages bar L and moves itoutward, operating blade K at the proper time to fold down the frontthird flap. After the pastersare out of the way and finally the holderAis moved a second step inward, so as to carry the carton beneath thebar m, whereby the fourth flap is folded, then the holder A moves backto first position ready to receive another carton and the foldingoperations are repeated.

I do not restrict myself to the specific constructions of parts shownand described, particularly as to the driving mechanisms, although themachine shown is the best now known to me and has been successfully andpractically operated.

Having thus described my invention, what I therefore claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent thereon, is

1. In a carton folding and pasting machine, a reciprocating slide, apair of gyratory wings attached to said slide, and adapted to fold oneend flap of the carton and apply paste to the front and rear flaps,substantially as described.

2. In a carton folding and pasting machine, a reciprocating slide, meansfor presenting a carton thereunder, a pair of gyratory wingpastersattached to said slide, and means for moving said wing-pasters as theslide reciprocates, and a pair of disk pasters attached to the slideadapted to apply paste to the top edges of the front and rear flaps,substantially as described.

3. In a carton folding and pasting machine, a reciprocating slide, apair of gyratory wingpasters attached to said slide, and adapted to foldone end flap of the carton and apply paste to the front and rear flaps,and a pair of disk pasters attached to the slide adapted to apply pasteto the edges of the front and rear flaps, substantially as described.

4. In a carton folding and pasting machine, the combination of a slidecarrying pasting and folding mechanism, with a reciprocatingcarton-holder adapted to present a carton to such mechanism, afolding-blade on said holder, and means for operating said folding-bladefrom and by the movement of the slide.

5. In a carton-folding machine, the combination of opposite foldingdevices, a reciprocating carton-holder, means for moving said holder tofirst present the carton to the action of said folding devices, and thento eject the carton therefrom after the flaps are folded.

6. In a carton folding and pasting machine, the combination of opposedfolding devices, a pasting mechanism coacting therewith, a reciprocatingcarton-holder, a folding-blade carried thereby, means for moving saidholder so as to present the carton to the action of pasting and foldingmechanisms, and forfurther moving said holder to eject the foldedcarton, and means for actuating the folding-blade on the holder at theproper time, substantially as described.

7. In a carton-folding machine, the combi nation of a reciprocatingcarton-holder, opposite folding devices, means for moving said holder tofirst present the carton to the action of said folding devices, and theneject it therefrom after the flaps are folded a folding-blade carried bysaid holder, and means for operating said latter folding-blade when theholder is in position between the folding devices.

8. In a carton-folding machine the combination of folding and pastingdevices, a continuously-rotating shaft, means operated by said shaft foractuating said folding and pasting devices, mechanism for locking saidmeans after each cycle of folding and pasting operation, and means fortripping said locking mechanism when a carton comes into position forfolding and pasting.

9. In a carton-folding machine, the combination of folding mechanism, acontinuously driven shaft,a sleeve thereon and driven therefrom, meansoperated by said sleeve for actuating the folding mechanism at theproper time, devices for locking said sleeve after each cycle of foldingoperations is completed, and means for tripping said locking device whena carton comes into position for folding, substantially as described.

10. In a carton-folding machine, the combination of pasting and foldingmechanism, a continuously driven shaft, a frictionallydriven sleevethereon, means operated by said sleeve for actuating the folding andpasting mechanism at the proper time, devices for locking said sleeveafter each cycle of folding andpasting operation is completed, and meansfor tripping said locking device when a carton comes into position forfolding, substantially as described.

11. In a carton-folding machine, the combination of a reciprocatingslide, pasting de-' vices carried by said slide, folding devices, acontinuously-driven shaft, means operated by said shaft for actuatingsaid pasting and folding devices, means'for locking said operative meansafter each cycle of folding operations, and means for tripping saidlocking device when a carton comes in position for folding.

12. In a carton-folding machine, the combination of a reciprocatingslide, pasting devices carried by said slide, and an oppositefolding-blade, with a continuously driven shaft, means operated by saidshaft actuating said pasting and folding devices, means for locking saidoperative means after each cycle of folding operations, and means fortripping said locking devices when a carton comes in position forfolding. v

13. In a carton-foldingmachine, the combination of a movablecarton-holder, adapted to present the carton to pasting devices, andsubsequently discharge the same therefrom; with a folding-blade attachedto said holder, a reciprocating slide actuating the pasting devices, andmeans whereby said slide actuates the folding-blade on the holder afterthe pasting operation, substantially as described.

1 1. In a carton-folding machine, the combination of the movablecarton-holder, the folding-blade thereon, the rock-shaft and connectionsfor operating said blade in one direction, mechanism adapted to actuatesaid shaft when the holder has moved the carton to folding position,substantially as described.

15. In a carton-folding machine, the combination of folding devices, adriven shaft, a means operated by said shaft for actuating said foldingdevices at the proper time, and devices for locking said means aftereach cycle of folding operations is completed, with a carton-holderadapted to present cartons to said folding devices, and means operatedby said holder for tripping the said locking devices, substantially asdescribed.

16. In a carton-folding machine, the combination of a movablecarton-holder, adapted to present the carton to pasting and foldingdevices, and subsequently discharge the same therefrom, with afolding-blade attached to said holder, a reciprocating slide carryingpasting and folding devices, and means whereby said slide actuates thefolding-blade on the holder after the pasting operation, substantiallyas described.

17. In a carton-folding machine, the combination of a movablecarton-holder, the folding-blade thereon, a rock-shaft and connectionsfor operating said blade in one direction, and a spring for retractingthe blade, with mechanism independent of the holder adapted to actuatesaid shaft when the holder has moved the carton to folding position,substantially as described.

18. In a carton-folding machine, the combination of a reciprocatingslide, pasting and folding devices carried by said slide, an oppositefolding-blade, a driven shaft, a frictionally-driven sleeve, and meansoperated by said sleeve for actuating said pasting and folding devicesat the proper time, means for locking said sleeve after each cycle offolding and pasting operations is completed; a carton-holder adapted topresent cartons to said folding devices, and means operated by saidholder for tripping the said locking devices, substantially asdescribed.

19. In combination a carton-holder, a folding-blade, a sliding bar, avertical rock-shaft, connections between the opposite ends of saidrock-shaft and said bar and blade, and means for moving said bar so asto actuate the blade nation of a reciprocating slide, folders attachedto said slide, an opposite folding-blade, a continuously-driven shaft, asleeve thereon driven thereby, mechanism actuated by said sleeve foroperating the said slide and folder at the proper times, and a lockingdevice for arresting the said sleeve after it has made one rotation;with a reciprocating carton-holder, adapted to present cartons to saidfolding mechanisms, and a trip on said holder adapted to release thelocking device when the holder presents the carton in position forfolding, substantially as described.

22. In a carton-folding machine the combination of a reciprocatingslide, disk and wing pasters attached to said slide, adapted to applypaste to the top and side edges of the front and rear flaps of'a cartonand to fold one side flap; a folding-blade opposite the said pastingmechanism, a continuously -driven shaft, a sleeve thereon driventhereby, mechanism ac tuated by said sleeve for operating the said slideand folder at the proper times, and a.

locking device for arresting the said sleeve after it has made onerotation; with a reciprocating cartonholder, adapted to present cartonsto said pasting and folding mechanisms, and a trip on said holderadapted to release the locking device when the holder presents thecarton in position for folding, substantially as described.

23. In a carton-folding machine, the combination of a reciprocatingslide, folders attached to said slide, an opposite folding-blade, acontinuously-driven shaft, a sleeve thereon driven thereby, mechanismactuated by said sleeve for operating the said slide and folder at theproper times, and a locking device for arresting the said sleeve afterit has made one rotation; with a reciprocating carton-holder, adapted topresent cartons to said folding mechanisms, and a trip on said holderadapted to release the locking device when the holder presents thecarton in position for folding, a folding-blade on said holder, meansfor operating said blade from and by the movement of the slide, areceiver into which the carton is discharged by the holder, and a fixedbar by which the last flap is folded as the carton enters the receivers,substantially as described.

24:. In a carton-folding machine, the combination of a reciprocatingslide, disk and wing pasters attached to said slide, adapted to applypaste to the top and sideedges of the front and rear flaps of a cartonand to fold one side flap; a folding-blade opposite the said pastingmechanism, a continuously-driven shaft, a sleeve thereon driven thereby,mechanism actuated by said sleeve for operating the said slide andfolder at the proper times, and a locking device for arresting the saidsleeve after it has made one rotation; with a reciprocatingcarton-holder, adapted to present cartons to said pasting and foldingmechanism, a trip on said holder adapted to release the looking devicewhen the holder presents the carton in position for folding, afolding-blade on said holder, means for operating said blade from and bythe movement of the slide, a receiver into which the carton isdischarged by the holder, and a fixed bar by which the last 26. In acarton-folding machine, the combi- I nation of mechanism for feeding andholding cartons, and flap-folding devices arranged to operate on thecarton-flaps while in the holder; with a rotating shaft; means operatedby said shaft for actuating said folding devices, mechanism for lockingsaid means after the folding operation is completed; and means fortripping said looking mechanism When a carton is fed into position forfolding.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I aflix my signature1n presence of two Witnesses,

JOSEPH H. IVEEKS.

